Tanglefur's Loyalty, Book One: The Quest
by Fyrewing of CinderClan
Summary: When Tanglefur is given the ability to return cats from death, it comes with a price. He succeeds in resurrecting his beloved Rainstream, but is devastated when she has no memory of him. How far will he go to bring her memories back? T for violence.
1. Allegiances

**TANGLEFUR'S LOYALTY**

**_Book One: The Quest_**

**Allegiances:**

RIVERCLAN

_**Leader**_: Gladestar (**F**): _brown tabby, ice-blue eyes_

_**Deputy**_: Pebbleclaw (**M**): _solid gray, gray eyes_

_**Medicine Cat**_: Fernstripe (**F**): _pale gray tabby, green eyes_

_**Warriors**_:

Rainstream (**F**): _silver tabby, blue eyes_

Sparrowtail (**M**): _long-furred solid brown, amber eyes  
_**APPRENTICE: COLDPAW**

Swiftcurrent (**M**): _black and white, yellow eyes_

Icewhisker (**M**): _solid white, green eyes  
_**APPRENTICE: MOUSEPAW**

Pinefrost (**M**): _ginger tabby, amber eyes  
_**APPRENTICE: SHADEPAW**

Ripplepelt (**F**): _solid black, green eyes  
_**APPRENTICE: MOTHPAW**

Reedtail (**M**): _solid gray, dark green eyes_

_**Queens**_:

Dapplecloud (**F**): _dappled brown, blue eyes_ (expecting)

Whitetooth (**F**): _solid white, yellow eyes_ (Splashkit, Mudkit)

**_Kits_**:

Splashkit (**F**): _smoky gray, yellow eyes_

Mudkit (**M**): _long-furred solid brown, amber eyes_

_**Apprentices**_:

Shadepaw (**F**): _solid black, blue eyes_

Mothpaw (**F**): _ginger tabby, blue eyes_

Coldpaw (**F**): _solid white, amber eyes_

Mousepaw (**M**): _long-furred solid brown, yellow eyes_

_**Elders**_:

Longclaw (**M**): _black and white, green eyes_

Bramblewhisker (**M**): _dark brown tabby, amber eyes_

Falconflight (**F**): _pale gray tabby, yellow eyes_

THUNDERCLAN

_**Leader**_: Brackenstar (**M**): _dark ginger, yellow eyes_

_**Deputy**_: Oakfur (**M**): _dark brown tabby, green eyes_

_**Medicine Cat**_: Cloudleaf (**M**): _pale gray and white, green eyes_

_**Warriors**_:

Cedarstripe (**M**): _ginger tabby, amber eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: VOLEPAW**

Tanglefur (**M**): _dark brown tabby, yellow eyes  
_**APPRENTICE: GOLDPAW**

Smokewing (**F**): _smoky gray, blue eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: SILVERPAW**

Nightheart (**F**): _solid black, green eyes  
_**APPRENTICE: FIREPAW**

Cinderclaw (**M**): _gray tabby, amber eyes_

Dawnsmoke (**F**): _tortoiseshell, amber eyes_

**_Queens_**:

Willowspring (**F**): _calico, gray eyes_ (expecting)

Scarletwhisker (**F**): _bright ginger, green eyes_ (Redkit)

Ivytail (**F**): _silver tabby, green eyes_ (Foxkit, Vinekit)

**_Kits_**:

Redkit (**M**): _dark ginger, amber eyes_

Foxkit (**M**): _ginger tabby, green eyes_

Vinekit (**F**): _silver tabby, green eyes_

**_Apprentices_**:

Goldpaw (**M**): _golden-brown, green eyes_

Firepaw (**F**): _bright ginger, blue eyes_

Silverpaw (**F**): _silver tabby, green eyes_

Volepaw (**M**): _solid black, amber eyes_

**_Elders_**:

Snakefoot (**M**): _gray tabby, yellow eyes_

Frostwhisker (**F**): _solid white, green eyes_

SHADOWCLAN

**_Leader_**: Greystar (**M**): _big gray tabby, amber eyes_

**_Deputy_**: Dovefeather (**F**): _pale gray, blue eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: ADDERPAW**

**_Medicine Cat_**: Cedarshade (**M**): _brown tabby, green eyes_

**_Warriors_**:

Paleface (**F**): _solid white, gray eyes_

Thornfoot (**M**): _pale ginger, yellow eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: HAWKPAW**

Maplesmoke (**F**): _tortoiseshell, green eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: GREENPAW**

Rootwhisker (**M**): _brown tabby, amber eyes_

Toadpelt (**M**): _dark gray tabby, yellow eyes_

Rosetail (**M**): _pale gray, blue eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: VIPERPAW**

Leafshade (**F**): _calico, green eyes_

**_Queens_**:

Silvertail (**F**): _silver tabby, green eyes_ (expecting)

**_Apprentices_**:

Adderpaw (**M**): _brown tabby, yellow eyes_

Hawkpaw (**M**): _brown tabby, yellow eyes_

Viperpaw (**F**): _dark ginger, yellow eyes_

Greenpaw (**F**): _gray tabby, green eyes_

**_Elders_**:

Lilywhisker (**F**): _pale gray she-cat, blue eyes_

Foxfoot (**M**): _dark ginger, amber eyes_

Grasstail (**F**): _dark gray she-cat, green eyes_

WINDCLAN

**_Leader_**: Gorsestar (**M**): _brown tabby, amber eyes_

**_Deputy_**: Smokytail (**M**): _smoky gray, yellow eyes_

**_Medicine Cat_**: Tansyleaf (**F**): _cream-colored tabby, green eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: SPRINGPAW**

**_Warriors_**:

Hawkeye (**M**): _gray tabby, gold eyes_

Cricketwing (**F**): _dark brown, blue eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: STALKPAW**

Marshfoot (**M**): _brown tabby, amber eyes_

Daisytail (**F**): _pale golden, green eyes_

Darkwhisker (**M**): _solid black, yellow eyes_  
**APPRENTICE: SEEDPAW**

Leaftail (**F**): _tortoiseshell-and-white, green eyes_

**_Queens_**:

Crimsonwing (**F**): _dark ginger, green eyes _(Ashkit, Skykit)

Shadowfang (**F**): _solid black, amber eyes_ (expecting)

**_Kits_**:

Ashkit (**M**): _gray tabby, green eyes_

Skykit (**F**): _pale gray, blue eyes_

**_Apprentices_**:

Springpaw (**F**): _calico, green eyes_

Stalkpaw (**M**): _black-and-white, amber eyes_

Seedpaw (**M**): _pale brown tabby, amber eyes_

**_Elders_**:

Woodmoor (**M**): _brown tabby, green eyes_

Reedflower (**F**): _dappled gray, blue eyes_


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

"No!" Tanglefur could hardly hear his raw cry over Rainstream's howl of pain as the badger's paw cracked down on her back and she slithered limply into the muddy riverbank. "No - NO!"

Everything passed in a whirl of blinding lightning and cold rain soaking him to the bone as he stumbled after the retreating badger, his wounds stinging under the hard, pelting drops, his fur so thickly coated in mud that it was an effort to take a step. He couldn't catch up - it was impossible. Then, after a lifetime, he turned around.

"Rainstream?"

He couldn't tell if it was tears, rain, or blood that streamed down his face as he staggered to her side and collapsed in the mud next to her, licking the mud and blood from her. "Rainstream? Please...wake up..." Deep down he knew it was hopeless - the blow had broken her backbone.

"Please, Rainstream...please..." He begged nonetheless for hours, so exhausted that he laid his head on her back and mumbled into her silver tabby fur, washed free of mud by the rain. Finally it became impossible to talk, and he simply lay there, the rain pounding around them. Numb coldness was spreading over him, not only on the outside, but inside him too, turning his blood to ice.

Could he do it? Would the loss of energy kill him? He knew he couldn't do it now - not now, when he so desperately needed sleep and healing. He didn't have the strength to stagger back to ThunderClan, and RiverClan no doubt would think he had killed Rainstream - the thought chilled him to the bone - but he could sleep here, now, even if his dreams were filled with blood.

But eventually it was no longer a choice, as exhausted as he was...and though his dreams ran with the sticky red liquid until it filled his senses with its reek and salty taste, the violence was tempered by the rain pattering more softly around them now. When he woke, the rain had lightened to a misty drizzle, and the horizon was lightening. Rainstripe's Clanmates would no doubt come looking for her soon.

_I have to do it now. If her Clanmates come, they'll ruin it._

At least he felt stronger now, energy flowing back into his tired limbs as he rose unsteadily to his paws. His wounds, which had been shallow in the first place, didn't sting quite as badly as they had the night before; cool, soothing mud plastered the cuts and eased the pain somewhat.

"Rainstream," he groaned, grief rising raw in his throat as he caught sight of her still form again. _There's only one way to bring her back, Tanglefur. You've got to block out the sadness, at least for now. You've got to concentrate, ignore everything. Ignore the pain._

He couldn't say exactly how he began the process, or what triggered it. He looked at Rainstream again, and suddenly that silver mist was forcing itself down over his vision. His instinct was to fight it, and he was blinking before he could stop himself, but he forced himself to let his vision blur until he was almost blind.

Then he closed his eyes and thought only of Rainstream. Not of his grief, or of his stinging wounds, or of how beautiful she looked, as if she was only sleeping. He thought only of _her_, of that sweet mixture of river water, dappled sunlight, rain, and spring leaves that was Rainstream. Only of that pure essence that he knew and loved so well.

And then the light came, so brightly that he could see it even through his closed eyelids. He cracked them open, getting used to the bright light that came not from the sun, but from Rainstream's body. Then her whole form was wreathed in glittering silver dust that swirled and reformed in changing patterns.

He focused harder - here was the most difficult part. He was still a little unfamiliar with the process; he had only done it once, to resurrect his best friend, Eagletalon. It had almost killed him that time. Restoring memories took energy out of him...how much, he still wasn't quite sure.

Rainstream was moving now, her eyes blank but her flank moving steadily up and down. Tanglefur felt his energy draining as he restored more and more of her memories, of her Clanmates, of hunting, of fighting. Images from Rainstream's past flashed through his mind, faster and faster, until -

"RAINSTREAM!"

The yowl split through the early-morning quiet, shattering Tanglefur's concentration. Immediately fatigue rushed at him in waves, and he fought the urge to lie down as thoughts rushed around his head like panicked birds. He felt only vague relief and dread mixed; he had resurrected Rainstream, who was blinking sleepily, but he hadn't managed to restore all of her memories before he had been distracted.

Which ones had he missed? He didn't know, but he did know that he had to get out of here - fast. If Rainstream's Clanmates came now and saw them together, they would discover everything. Tanglefur couldn't let that happen.

Leaning close to Rainstream, he whispered urgently, "I've got to go now. I'll meet you here tomorrow and explain everything."

When she didn't answer and merely stared blankly at him, he frowned and tipped his head to one side. "Rainstream?"

Then she blinked, and her gaze focused on him. He sighed with relief. "Okay...for a moment there, I was worried...nothing we can't laugh about later, huh, Rainstream? I - RAINSTREAM!"

Out of the blue her claws were digging into his shoulders and pressing him into the mud, her teeth bared and a vicious snarl rising from her throat. "Get out of RiverClan territory, trespasser!"

"Rainstream?" He could only gape in shock, unable to retaliate. How could he? How could he lay a claw on the she-cat he loved, even if she was attacking him like any other ThunderClan intruder?

_She doesn't remember me!_ he realized, biting his lip. Oh, no. No, this couldn't happen. This was like losing her all over again. Did she really not remember him at all? Did she really not love him any more?

"Please, Rainstream..." He was alarmed to hear that his voice was choked now, holding the tears back.

For a moment he thought he saw something stir in the depths of his beloved's blue eyes...but then it was gone, and there was only hostility. "I don't know how you know my name - just get out of our territory, trespasser. I'm not going to say it again. Get out!"

"Rainstream..."

"Get OUT!" She raised her claws, ready to rip and wound, and he had no choice but to struggle weakly to his paws and stumble to the stepping stones, hardly caring if he fell into the fast-flowing river, swelled by the rain. There wasn't any point in living anymore. Rainstream didn't remember him. It was over.

He collapsed in the mud on the ThunderClan bank, only able to catch a glimpse of her beautiful silver tabby form as she went to greet her Clanmates. It wasn't rain that was flowing fast and thick down his cheeks now, it was tears...he loved her. There was no question - he still loved her. But she didn't even know who he was.

"I love you, Rainstream..."

It was a promise. A vow, even. He would do whatever it took to bring her memories back, even if he had to beg StarClan until his voice was gone. He would make her love him again.

"I love you..."


	3. Chapter One

**I know, this looks as if it shouldn't be part of the story, but Shadepaw is a key player in Tanglefur's quest. So just read on.**

**Chapter One**

A cold wind whistled into the apprentices' den, ruffling Shadepaw's fern nest and making her cuddle closer to her denmates. Beside her, her sister, Mothpaw, wriggled in her sleep, poking a cold paw into Shadepaw's side. Muffled with sleep, Shadepaw groaned, "Mothpaw...you're..." and then fell asleep before completing the sentence.

She was woken a few minutes later by another paw prodding into her side. This paw, however, belonged to Coldpaw, whose white fur was ruffled up against the wind. "Hey, Shadepaw, we're on dawn patrol. Grab some fresh-kill and meet at the stepping-stones."

"Dawn patrol?" Shadepaw grumbled, forcing herself sleepily to her paws. "Rrrr..." She yawned widely and stumbled after Coldpaw out of the apprentice's den and toward the fresh-kill pile. Between mouthfuls of a particularly tasty fish, she asked a little more wakefully, "Who else is on?"

"Rainstream and Sparrowtail," Coldpaw mewed, looking completely wide awake and alert. Coldpaw was a morning cat, something Shadepaw could never quite fathom. She was always the first apprentice to be up each morning, so the deputy, Pebbleclaw, made sure to include her on every other dawn patrol.

"Rainstream?" Shadepaw repeated in an undertone, glancing over at the silver tabby warrior, eating silently at the other side of the camp. The she-cat always had a sad, confused air about her, and sometimes couldn't remember things. "Hasn't she been a little odd since...the incident?"

Coldpaw nodded regretfully. "Almost a moon ago. No cat really knows what happened. I heard Sparrowtail say that she didn't remember how to catch mice. She was our best hunter before that."

"That's so strange." Shadepaw watched Rainstream as the silver tabby rose to her paws and padded silently out of camp. "I was only a kit then, but I remember the warriors going out to look for her. She was gone for the whole night, and they found her over by the stepping stones, with..."

"With blood around her, but not a scratch on her pelt," Coldpaw finished with a nod of her white head. "And she couldn't remember a thing that had happened. Well," she added, changing the subject, "we should get to the stepping stones. Her and Sparrowtail will be waiting, and we've finished our breakfast."

Shadepaw rose to her paws and followed Coldpaw out of camp to where the two warriors were waiting by the river. "We'll patrol the ThunderClan border first," Sparrowtail said brusquely, flicking his long brown tail, "and then make our way around to the WindClan border. I believe Swiftcurrent scented thieving WindClan warriors by Fourtrees."

"Can I ask a question?" Coldpaw piped up, twirling her paw in an eddy under a bush.

"Go ahead, Coldpaw."

"Who's going to the Gathering tonight?"

Shadepaw snapped fully alert. She had completely forgotten that the Gathering was that night. Would she be allowed to go, in her second moon of training? She hadn't been allowed to go last time. The two older apprentices, Coldpaw and Mousepaw, had gone while she and her sister had stayed behind.

"You won't be going this time, Coldpaw," Sparrowtail replied, sending a shiver of excitement up Shadepaw's spine. Coldpaw took her paw out of the water, looking disappointed. "Shadepaw, you and Mothpaw will be going. It'll give you a chance to meet apprentices from other Clans."

Shadepaw grinned widely, then erased the smile when Coldpaw gave a sigh of disappointment. "I'm sorry, Coldpaw," she murmured to her friend. "I'm sure they'll let you go next time."

"It's okay," Coldpaw said, forcing a brave smile. "I got to go last time. It's time you had a chance."

"Thanks, Coldpaw," Shadepaw whispered before following the warriors downriver.

They did two rounds in all, walking up and down the river twice. It took a surprisingly short time to finish the ThunderClan border patrol, and the warriors allowed a little time to hunt. They met back at the stepping stones with their prey; Shadepaw caught a particularly fat fish, and Coldpaw brought back a water vole. The two warriors shared their prey - two fish and a mouse - close to camp while the two apprentices ate on the bank.

"Mmm," Shadepaw said appreciatively, swallowing a flaky piece of fish. "The fish are running well this moon."

"It's greenleaf. What do you expect? Lots of rain means lots of fish." Coldpaw snitched a bite of Shadepaw's fish and tore off a chunk of her vole, pushing it towards her. Shadepaw took it gratefully. "Mind you, that makes it more dangerous as well. A cat could easily slip into that - " she pointed towards the roaring river - "and never come out again."

"Not a RiverClan cat," Shadepaw objected. "You and me would be able to climb right back out again. But I see what you're saying for ThunderClan and WindClan."

"What about ShadowClan?"

"They haven't got a river on their border. I suppose they must learn swimming from falling into marshy pools all the time, but they couldn't swim in the river. We're the only Clan who can do that."

"That's right." The two apprentices ate in silence for a few more minutes. Shadepaw was trying to listen to Sparrowtail and Rainstream's conversation, even though she knew it was rude, but she couldn't catch more than a few words at a time. Eventually she gave up.

Coldpaw saw her gazing at the warriors and sniggered. "Wondering if they're talking about your warrior ceremony? Not a chance. You've barely been an apprentice for a moon. Me, on the other hand - " she swelled her chest playfully - "I could be a warrior any day now."

"You're only two moons older than me," Shadepaw retorted, swallowing the last scrap of fish.

"True, but I - " Coldpaw broke off, her eyes wide in horror. Someone was screaming.

Shadepaw whirled around. A dark shape bobbed down the river. It was a ThunderClan cat!


	4. Chapter Two

**Sorry, Kylyn, but it's not Tanglefur! If you want to know who it is, read on!**

**Chapter Two**

"That's a - " Coldpaw broke off, realizing what Shadepaw was about to do. "No, Shadepaw, don't!"

Shadepaw hesitated for a moment with her paws in the water, glancing back at the warriors. They were too far away to hear the scream, and wouldn't come in time. "Sorry, Coldpaw. I've got to."

She slipped into the rain-swelled river, paddling with her paws to stay afloat. It was useless to try and resist the current, and she didn't want to do that anyway. On the contrary, she swam with the current, so that soon she began to gain on the ThunderClan apprentice. She caught snatches of the apprentice's golden-brown fur and small build - he couldn't be much older than her.

To his credit, he wasn't wailing in terror like Shadepaw would expect - he was actively trying to swim toward the bank, but his fluffy, non-water-resistant fur and ThunderClan muscles weren't built for swimming, and the current was too fast. Shadepaw caught up to him and tried to grab the back of his neck. She missed the first time, but the second time she caught fur and held on.

It was a struggle propelling both of them back to the bank, but she managed to do it, snagging a claw in a clump of reeds and dragging the ThunderClan apprentice to shore. He had gone limp, apparently knowing that would make him easier to carry. _Smart apprentice, for ThunderClan._

"Shadepaw!" someone yowled, and she saw Coldpaw running along the bank towards them. The white-pelted apprentice helped Shadepaw climb onto the bank. She let the ThunderClan apprentice go - he struggled out of the grasping mud and collapsed on the bank, retching up riverwater.

After catching her own breath, Shadepaw took a cautious step toward him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," the ThunderClan apprentice croaked, straightening up. He was a little bigger than Shadepaw - he looked down at her with leaf-green eyes. He dipped his head in gratitude. "Thanks. For saving me."

"You're welcome," Shadepaw replied awkwardly. She was spared from saying anything more by the arrival of the warriors. Rainstream and Sparrowtail burst through the bracken and surrounded them. Rainstream's tail flicked angrily.

"What are you doing on RiverClan territory?" Sparrowtail demanded. His long brown fur was fluffed out, making him look much larger than he was. The ThunderClan apprentice shrank back, his tail brushing the surface of the mud.

"He was drowning," Shadepaw interjected, stepping between Sparrowtail and the apprentice. "I saved him. I don't think that's against the warrior code - is it?" She stared up at Sparrowtail with a challenge in her blue eyes.

Sparrowtail cleared his throat uncomfortably. "No, it's not, Shadepaw." He glanced at Rainstream before continuing - her tail stopped flicking and the anger faded from her eyes. "I apologize, ..."

"Goldpaw," the apprentice filled in.

"Goldpaw," Sparrowtail repeated. "The stepping stones are over this way. Shadepaw and Coldpaw will go with you to make sure you don't fall in...again."

"Message received, sir," Goldpaw said quietly. Coldpaw giggled, but stopped when Sparrowtail glanced her way.

Coldpaw was the first to cross the stepping stones; Goldpaw followed just behind her, his tail flicking briefly across Shadepaw's nose as she leaped after him. Once all three apprentices were on the ThunderClan side of the river, Goldpaw glanced at Shadepaw. "Thanks again."

"It was nothing," Shadepaw said awkwardly.

"I wouldn't call saving my life nothing." Goldpaw's green eyes glittered. Leaning in close so that Coldpaw couldn't hear, he muttered, "You going to the Gathering tonight?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I am too. I'll see you there." With that he prowled off through the reeds, disappearing into a clump of bracken.

- - -

Tanglefur watched the whole scene take place through the reeds, hidden so well that no part of him was visible except, if you looked closely, a pair of glinting yellow eyes.

His eyes lingered on Rainstream almost the whole time. She looked healthy, at least - the badger had left no mark of its attack on her sleek silver pelt. Of course it hadn't; in effect, it had never happened, since all of Rainstream's wounds had disappeared as soon as he had resurrected her.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could survive living this kind of life. He had been slacking on a lot of his warrior duties, and his inability to keep a proper watch on his own apprentice showed just how out of it he was becoming. To think Goldpaw had fallen into the river, and he had been too busy watching Rainstream to even hear his scream. He had only noticed his apprentice wasn't behind him, stalking a sparrow, when the black apprentice had pulled him from the river.

Goldpaw was safe now, no thanks to him. _Call yourself a mentor?_ he berated himself silently. _Goldpaw could have died, and you're still crouched in a clump of reeds, watching a she-cat who has no idea who you are._

And that was his fault, too. If he hadn't been so easily distracted, he could have restored all of her memories, and he wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare. The guilt made it seem worse; it would have been better if it _hadn't_ been his fault, although he would still be miserable.

_I should get back to camp,_ he thought vaguely, watching Rainstream, the brown warrior, and the two RiverClan apprentices make their way back past the stepping stones and off toward the ShadowClan border. _Goldpaw will be looking for me._

It took a lot of willpower to wrench his eyes from Rainstream's disappearing form and trot silently back toward camp. He spotted Goldpaw heading for the medicine cat's den - Cloudleaf would have to check him for signs of a chill. Tanglefur felt guilty for thinking it, but he couldn't help hoping Goldpaw wouldn't be able to train for a while; it would give him more time to watch Rainstream fishing from across the river.

He was distracted from his thoughts by a call from across the clearing. "Tanglefur, I'd like to see you in my den." It was Brackenstar. Tanglefur followed the dark ginger leader back into his den, carved into the Highrock.

Once they were inside, Brackenstar turned to face Tanglefur. Getting straight to the point, he mewed, "Tanglefur, you've been slacking a lot lately. I heard Goldpaw say he fell into the river on hunting patrol with you. I'm going to let you go to the Gathering this time, but if you continue letting down your Clanmates this way, you're not going to go for a long time. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Brackenstar," Tanglefur mumbled, staring at his paws.

Brackenstar's tone softened a little. "Good. We'll set off at twilight, as usual. If you're not there, we're going to leave without you."

Tanglefur left the den feeling a little more pleased than he had when he went in, despite the lecture he'd been given. He was going to the Gathering, the first one since Rainstream's resurrection; he might get a chance to see her, and maybe jog a few of her memories. He wasn't sure if he could do that, but it was worth a try.

He did manage to be there at twilight, and set off with the other warriors and apprentices who were going. Goldpaw was among them; apparently he hadn't caught a chill, after all. Tanglefur purposefully avoided his apprentice, walking on the other side of the group: he didn't want to be asked questions now.

As usual, Brackenstar paused at the top of the ridge before heading down to Fourtrees, his eyes moving over his warriors and apprentices as if counting them. After a few heartbeats he seemed satisfied, and led them down the slope, yowling a greeting to the cats already gathered in the hollow.


	5. Chapter Three

**YAWN...I'm super bored. That's why I'm writing. Warning: I have a slight touch of writer's block, so this chapter may go more slowly than usual. YAWN.**

**Oh yeah. People are saying that this story is a whole lot like Graystripe and Silverstream. GrayxSilver is my FAVORITE pairing, and some of their love might have somehow gotten into this story. I didn't mean for it, but sometimes these things happen. Bear with me here, I'll try to spice it up.**

**Chapter Three**

He searched the clearing with his eyes, and almost immediately, he spotted her. His Rainstream. She was with a group of RiverClan warriors, saying something he couldn't quite hear, occasionally flicking her whiskers in agreement with another cat. Jealousy rose in his throat like bile when he saw that some of the warriors were toms, but he managed to push it down.

He followed the rest of the ThunderClan group down into the hollow and headed for the base of the Great Rock, pretending to examine its contours while casually veering off towards the RiverClan group. He crept behind a bush, stalked around, and sat down almost directly behind Rainstream, with nothing more than a bush between him and the she-cat he loved.

For a few heartbeats he just sat there and let the beautiful sound of her laughter pour over him. Some cat had told a joke, and he stiffened when one of the toms whacked her playfully on the shoulder with his tail, but forced himself to stay hidden. She was a beautiful she-cat: of course the other toms would want to be near her.

He waited there for a while, blocking out most of the conversation and just focusing on her, waiting for his chance. He would have to wait until she was apart from the group, with no RiverClan or ThunderClan cats around.

Finally the group broke up and gravitated toward the Great Rock, choosing places to sit around it as the leaders began to climb on top. Tanglefur tagged close behind Rainstream, making sure to keep out of sight. His hopes lifted as she sat down behind three WindClan elders. Grasping the chance, he casually sidled over and sat less than a pace to her left, making sure never to look at her directly.

He was aware of her gaze as she glanced at him once or twice, perhaps wondering why he had chosen to sit next to her, and he wasn't sure if he wanted her to recognize him or not. If she did, it would only be as the ThunderClan tom she had chased off her territory almost a moon ago.

The leaders began to speak, but he wasn't paying attention at all to what they were saying. He let one of his ears perk up when Brackenstar's turn came around, but the dark ginger tom only talked about the new warrior, Dawnsmoke, and a fox Cedarstripe and Cinderclaw had chased off ThunderClan territory. Nothing interesting. Nothing about him or Goldpaw.

Finally the leaders were done speaking, and the cats began to file out of the clearing. Tanglefur took a deep breath, preparing himself, and then tripped deliberately over a low-lying clump of grass, crashing clumsily into Rainstream. She gave a yowl of surprise and both cats tumbled down a short slope into a small gully near one of the four oaks.

"I'm so sorry," Tanglefur mewed immediately. His heart was beating so loudly that he was afraid she might hear it. "I'm clumsy...sorry about that..."

"It's all right," Rainstream mumbled, climbing to her paws. She squinted at him, with that almost-skeptical look in her blue eyes that he knew so well. "Do I know you?"

His heart skipped a beat. Now was the time to take a chance. "I'm Tanglefur."

"Tanglefur...no, not familiar. Sorry. You're ThunderClan, right?" She sniffed him and drew back, satisfied. "Definitely ThunderClan."

"That's right," he replied, feeling foolish. Should he? If it didn't jog her memory, he was risking some awkward questions. He might even be attacked for spying on RiverClan territory. "Rainstream. Don't you remember me?"

She jumped to her feet, and her blue eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name?"

"It's me. Tanglefur. We used to meet...at the stepping stones when the river was low, here when it was high. Don't you remember?" His voice was pleading now, and he could sense that she wanted to rejoin the RiverClan group filing out of Fourtrees. "We couldn't tell our Clans, because it was forbidden."

It wasn't working. He realized that now, as her eyes refused to soften. "I don't know who you are, or how you know my name, but either you're crazy, or you're trying to trick me. And it's not going to work. Goodbye. And if this happens again," she hissed over her shoulder, climbing up out of the rut and heading back to the other cats, "Gladestar will hear about this."

He stared after her, unable to quell the disappointment that flooded his mind and took over his senses. He wanted to run after her, to beg her, plead with her to come back to him, but it would only make things worse. He had missed his chance. It hadn't worked.

- - -

Coming down into the hollow, Tanglefur wasn't the only cat hoping to spot a RiverClan cat. Goldpaw purposefully avoided his mentor, unaware that Tanglefur was doing the same for him. He didn't want to be asked why his eyes were searching the groups of apprentices from other Clans, looking for a black one.

Then he spotted Shadepaw sitting with another RiverClan apprentice of about the same age. It wasn't Coldpaw - the white apprentice was nowhere to be found. Coming cautiously up to the pair, he worried that Shadepaw might not have remembered, but was gratified when she turned around and mewed, "Hey, Goldpaw."

He mewed a quick hello to both apprentices, casting a questioning glance toward the other apprentice. Shadepaw saw him looking and quickly introduced her. "This is Mothpaw. She's my sister."

"Hello," Mothpaw meowed, gazing curiously at him with the same blue eyes as Shadepaw.

"Hi. So," he began in a valiant attempt to make conversation, "how's the prey running?"

"You mean the fish?" Shadepaw asked in surprise.

"Oh, yes. The fish. That's what I meant. I forgot that RiverClan doesn't hunt woodland prey like ThunderClan." _Stupid, stupid me._

"That's okay. The fish...yes, they're running well." He caught a slightly guarded tone in her voice, and realized that even if there was something wrong with the fish, she wasn't at liberty to discuss it with him, a ThunderClan cat, a rival. It made him feel more than a little awkward. "What about you?"

"Um, yes. Volepaw even managed to catch an adder the other day without being bit." Had that given anything away? He didn't think so. This was uncomfortable.

"An adder. That's nice. Uh...are they hard to catch?"

He realized then that she probably didn't even know what an adder looked like, or that it was a snake. She would hardly have hunted one before, being a RiverClan cat. "Yes, very difficult. They're snakes...poisonous snakes."

"Oh...I see."

This was becoming very awkward. Inter-Clan friendships just weren't meant to be. Had he given anything important away, by telling her that there were poisonous snakes in ThunderClan territory? _She's an apprentice, and she's my friend. She's hardly going to use it against me._

"Well, the leaders are starting to speak. I'd better check in with my mentor. See you...some other time, I guess." Smarting with embarrassment, he backed away from the two RiverClan apprentices and walked off. He thought he heard Mothpaw giggle behind his back, but it could have been some other cat.

_Wow, that was awkward. What am I supposed to talk about? The weather? Or would that give something away as well?_

Like all apprentices, he had been instructed by his mentor at the beginning of apprenticeship not to give anything away at Gatherings. In fact, it had been positively drilled into his head. _Don't give anything away to any of the other Clans. They could use it against us to steal prey or raid our camp. Especially ShadowClan and RiverClan...you can't trust them worth a mousetail._

Shadepaw wouldn't do something like that. Of course not. She was his friend.

Was she?


	6. Chapter Four

**PYRO!! Meh, I wanted to buy a lighter today, but it cost 1.65 and I only had 1.00. Stupid me, spending all my allowance on _Midnight_ and _Sunset_. So I settled for some pixie stix instead. Mmm, sugar rush.**

**Yay, my writer's block is over! Hopefully this chapter will be better than the last one. I painted my nails black, and then painted red letters spelling "Hello, Fate"...it's very cool. -holds fingers up to the screen- Aren't they cool?**

**Chapter Four**

Walking home, Shadepaw couldn't get the ThunderClan apprentice out of her head, much as she wanted to.

_It's okay to have friends from other Clans_, she reminded herself firmly. _And that's all he is. A friend._

"He better stay just a friend," she muttered to herself. With her apprenticeship in full swing, she didn't want to do _anything_ that might postpone her warrior ceremony.

Like every other cat in RiverClan, she had heard the story of Dapplecloud and the WindClan warrior, Marshfoot. Two moons afterward, Dapplecloud was still a little mistrusted by her Clanmates, especially since she would give birth to Marshfoot's kits any day now.

Shadepaw didn't want her name to bear the same ill-will as Dapplecloud's in moons to come, although she did feel sorry for her kits. Would RiverClan be able to trust them, half-Clan as they were? Shadepaw didn't really approve of Dapplecloud that much, but she wanted to mentor one of the kits when they were old enough. By that time, she would certainly be a warrior.

She was wondering what Gladestar might make her warrior name as the RiverClan envoy approached their camp. Suddenly, a yowl of pain and distress sounded from inside the camp walls. Shadepaw glanced at Mothpaw, padding on her left and looking just as startled as Shadepaw, and broke into a run along with her Clanmates.

As she burst into the camp, another yowl echoed around the hollow. It seemed to be coming from the nursery. Shadepaw took a step toward it, but then a cat emerged - Whitetooth, one of the nursery queens, shepherding her two kits with her tail. "What's wrong, Whitetooth?" Shadepaw asked.

"Nothing's wrong," Whitetooth answered calmly. One of her kits, a fluffy gray she-cat, strayed from her side and tried to pounce on Shadepaw's tail. "No, Splashkit, come here. It's Dapplecloud," she added to Shadepaw. "She's in labor. Fernstripe is with her."

Shadepaw breathed a sigh of relief, and the warriors who had just come into camp calmed down gradually as they were informed by their Clanmates what was going on. "I thought invaders were attacking the camp," she admitted to Mothpaw.

"So did I," Mothpaw mewed, sitting down by the apprentices' den with her tail curled over her paws. Giving a wide yawn, she added, "I'm tired. I think I'll have some fresh-kill, and go to sleep. Ripplepelt wants me hunting first thing in the morning."

With that, her sister drifted toward the fresh-kill pile. Shadepaw resisted the impulse to join her; she had eaten before leaving for the Gathering, and the fresh-kill pile was growing small as the returning warriors picked out fish and ate between wide yawns.

Instead, she let her paws carry her toward the apprentices' den, where Coldpaw and her brother, Mousepaw, were curled into fluffy balls in the corner. Shadepaw thought her friend was asleep; then Coldpaw lifted her head from the bundle of white and brown fur, blinking wakefully at Shadepaw.

"So, what happened at the Gathering?" Coldpaw asked, extending her forepaws and giving a wide yawn. Then she lowered her voice and added, "Did you meet Goldpaw?" Her voice was calm, but her eyes betrayed her envy.

Shadepaw shrugged. "Not much. I saw him, and we talked a little. He seemed sort of jumpy."

"Probably nervous about talking with cats from other Clans," Coldpaw said knowingly, flicking dirt from between her claws. "Even at a Gathering, you have to be careful. Can't get too friendly."

Shadepaw's heart sank. Even her best friend thought it was too risky to have a close friend from another Clan. "You really think so?" she mewed, hoping she sounded casual.

Coldpaw flashed her a sideways glance and her amber eyes widened as she meowed, "You _like_ him, don't you?"

Shadepaw stared at her paws, wishing she could disappear into the soft soil. "Maybe," she mewed evasively. Coldpaw knew her a little _too_ well.

Coldpaw stood up and began pacing the den; Shadepaw was familiar with the activity. Her friend did it when she was upset. "That's bad. That's very bad. Shadepaw, you know better than this. Remember Dapplecloud? RiverClan barely trusts her even now, two moons after it happened."

"I didn't say I liked him," Shadepaw mumbled. "Just a friend." _For now,_ she added inside her head.

Coldpaw narrowed her eyes and sat back down beside her brother, who was still blissfully snoring. "That had better be true. I can't choose between my best friend and my Clan. That's just not right. I wouldn't be a friend if I let you do this."

Shadepaw resisted the urge to yowl, _I can deal with things by myself, thank you very much!_ Coldpaw was just being a good friend. She was right, too, even if Shadepaw didn't want to admit it to herself.

"Don't worry," she mewed aloud. "You won't have to choose for a while yet."

Coldpaw nodded in satisfaction and, closing her amber eyes, settled down to sleep. Shadepaw sat motionless at the front of the den; within minutes her friend was breathing deeply and slowly, in a peaceful slumber.

Shadepaw wished she could have the same restful sleep, but that wasn't going to happen tonight, not with all of these thoughts buzzing around her head like angry bumblebees. When Mothpaw entered the den, she sat down obligingly to share tongues with her sister, but her mind wasn't really on the activity.

Mothpaw seemed restless as well: she kept squirming around, making it hard for Shadepaw to properly share tongues with her. "You're jumpier than a hedgehog at full moon," Shadepaw commented after missing Mothpaw's fur with her tongue for the third time in a row.

"And you're just as prickly," Mothpaw joked, shifting once again so that her tail was curled over the back of her neck.

"No, really. What's wrong?"

Mothpaw sighed; it sounded loud in the quiet den. Shadepaw glanced at Coldpaw and Mousepaw to make sure they were still asleep. Coldpaw's eyes were shut and she was obviously in a deep sleep. Mousepaw's breathing was muffled by Coldpaw's thick white fur, but his tail was twitching; he was dreaming.

"He doesn't notice me," Mothpaw said suddenly.

"Who?"

"Reedtail. Remember when he was an apprentice? He was always joking around and laughing with us. But now that he's a warrior, he doesn't even talk to us anymore. It's just hunting patrols and guard duty and border patrol and endless warrior things to do. I've liked him for, like, forever, but I don't know what to do!" Mothpaw's voice rose to a yowl.

Shadepaw dipped her head in relief. At least her sister didn't like a tom from another Clan. "We'll be warriors soon enough, Mothpaw. Then Reedtail will have to notice you. You're the prettiest she-cat in the Clan."

Mothpaw smiled halfheartedly. "Thanks, Shadepaw, but Reedtail will have found another she-cat by then. Like Coldpaw. She'll be a warrior sooner than us."

Shadepaw glanced over at her sleeping friend. "Maybe so, but you shouldn't worry about it, for tonight at least. Let's get some sleep. Didn't you say Ripplepelt wants you hunting?"

Mothpaw yawned. "You're probably right. G'night, Shadepaw."

"G'night, Mothpaw."

**Okay, now that I look back on it, that chapter did go more slowly than usual. And nothing much of importance happened. Oh, well, on to the next chappie.**


End file.
